


Love is Blind

by Astronaut_Milky



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Blind Date, Fluff, Jealousy, M/M, Misunderstandings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 13:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13548207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astronaut_Milky/pseuds/Astronaut_Milky
Summary: “Friday. Seven p.m. There will be a beautiful man waiting at Forlini's, a glass of scotch ready for you to enjoy. Be there, or don't be there, just know that he's perfect for you.”“A blind date? Really, Rita?”





	Love is Blind

**Author's Note:**

> Please know that I'm writing all of these Valentine's fics in a horribly tired state and if it wasn't for my betas, they would make no sense.
> 
> Thanks to ChameleonCircuit for helping this become somewhat coherent.
> 
> Prompt: Blind Date
> 
> Kudos/comments are always appreciated!

“Did you know there's such a thing as a male spinster?”

 

Rafael had been mid-tirade on exactly why he wouldn't offer a lighter sentence for Rita's client, when she jumped in with that.

 

“I-- what?”

 

“Male spinsters,” she clarified with a raised eyebrow and a knowing smirk. “They exist.”

 

Rafael scoffed. “Right. I believe they're called bachelor's. Now if we could--”

 

“Perhaps they are. However, I have it on good authority that times are changing. More and more expectations are being placed on men to settle down, to find a wife. Or a husband, in your case. Bachelor's are considered--”

 

“ _Rita,_ is there a point to this meaningless speech?” he snapped, knowing exactly how his friend could waffle on.

 

“I was getting to it--”

 

“We have been trying to negotiate this deal for an hour, I need you to get to the point faster.”

 

“Don't you think it's time to get back out there?”

 

At that, Rafael rolled his eyes dramatically, letting out a loud sigh.

 

“I am plenty _out there,_ thank you--”

 

“I don't mean taking home whatever boytoy you've managed to lure in. I mean a relationship.”

 

His eyes had widened already at the word 'boytoy,’ so by the time she had reached 'relationship,’ he was certain his eyes were bulging out of his skull.

 

“I don't believe I ever asked for your opinion on my love life.”

 

With that, she sighed and pulled herself from her chair.

 

“Friday. Seven p.m. There will be a beautiful man waiting at Forlini's, a glass of scotch ready for you to enjoy. Be there, or don't be there, just know that he's perfect for you.”

 

“A blind date? Really, Rita?”

 

She shrugged. “Email me your new conditions on a deal by five, and _maybe_ I'll consider accepting it.”

 

On that note, she left his office.

 

Rafael shook his head, ready to fire off a text along the lines of, _Rita you are absolutely ridiculous_ , when her voice sounded from near Carmen's desk.

 

“Ah, Detective. It's been a while.”

 

“Not long enough,” Carisi's voice snarked back, and Rafael felt equal parts proud at the response, and excited at the sound of his voice.

 

He smoothed down his tie in one swift movement, schooling his expression into one of cool, flirtatious indifference, reserved solely for Carisi.

 

**+++**

  


“Carmen, I've got your double shot cappuccino right here,” Sonny greeted her, lifting the coffee up for her to see.

 

A grateful smile spread across her face, however it quickly morphed into something devilish and highly suspicious.

 

“And I've got you a date.”

 

He froze halfway through handing over the coffee. “Excuse me?”

 

“A date. On Friday, if you're interested.”

 

For a split second, with the look Carmen was giving him, he wondered if perhaps she had misinterpreted something.

 

“You, uh…you know I'm gay, right?”

 

She barked out a laugh, snatching the coffee right out of his hands.

 

“Notice how I didn't say it was with me?” At that, Sonny let out a sigh, bordering on a relieved chuckle. “No, this is with a guy I happen to know you would love.”

 

Sonny scratched at the back of his neck, glancing to Barba's office door.

 

“I don't know Carmen, I'm not sure if I--”

 

“Listen, be at Forlini's, seven o'clock on Friday. Order a scotch for him, and I guarantee you'll have yourself a good time.”

 

He opened his mouth, ready to decline her sweet offer, when the office door opened and through it sauntered Rita Calhoun.

 

“Ah, Detective. It's been a while,” she said, her eyes raking over his body in a way that had him feeling horribly exposed.

 

“Not long enough,” he politely snapped back, throwing Rita a tight smile.

 

All she gave in response was an appreciative nod, and a wink to Carmen, which Sonny truly did not care to try and decipher. Not when Barba was waiting for him.

 

With a deep breath, he stepped into the office.

 

**+++**

  


“Detective,” Rafael greeted Carisi from his chair, leaning back in an attempt to remain casual. “Got something for me?”

 

He relished in the sight of Carisi swallowing thickly.

 

“Those files you asked for,” he said, handing the folder over. Rafael was incredibly proud of the fact that he managed to remain calm as their fingers brushed as the folder was passed into his hands.

 

“Any thoughts on the case?” The question slipped out before he could stop himself.

 

Carisi's eyes widened. “Really, Counselor? Normally you're counting the seconds until I stop talking.”

 

Rafael felt his lips quirk into a soft smile.

 

“I'm willing to make an exception if your insights aren't just obvious observations.”

 

Carisi returned his warm smile, sapphire eyes twinkling with excitement.

 

Everything about talking to Carisi felt like being on edge, teetering back and forth between co-workers and something more. It was exciting, and terrifying, and it had become something Rafael craved.

 

Carisi opened his mouth, and Rafael felt his breath catch in his throat.

 

And then a faint buzzing sounded throughout the room.

 

“Hold that thought, Counselor,” Carisi said, retrieving his phone from his pocket to answer it. “Amanda, what's up?”

 

Rafael was going to wait patiently. He was going to twiddle his thumbs until the phone call was over, and then he was going to take the next step.

 

He was going to do all these things.

 

But then he watched as Carisi's face lit up as Rollins spoke to him. He watched Carisi's perfect pink lips curl into a wide, genuine smile.

 

“Oh come on, Amanda, I…okay sure, I'll bring it over tonight. You still want spaghetti, right?”

 

Carisi might have still been talking to Rollins, but Rafael was no longer paying attention. His heartbeat pulsed wildly, deafening his ears with the rapid thumping. His blood was running ice cold, though his face felt like it was on fire.

 

Of course he was with Rollins. They were a picture of the All-American family. He could see them together, feeding Jesse spaghetti, laughing heartily, loving each other wholly.

 

He felt ashamed.

 

He felt embarrassed.

 

“Alright, see you soon.” Carisi hung up the phone. “So, Barba, you wanted my brilliant and valid opinions on the case. First of all--”

 

“Actually,” he cut Carisi off, grateful his voice wasn't betraying how hurt he was. “I just remembered I have a meeting in a few minutes.”

 

“Oh, I just thought--”

 

“If that is all, Detective.” He knew he sounded cold, harsh even, but he needed Carisi to leave. He needed to wallow in solitude.

 

The younger man scoffed. “Right. Well, bye Barba.”

 

Carisi waited expectantly for him to say something, but the words wouldn't come. So instead Rafael opened the manila folder in front of him, though he couldn't make heads or tails of the words.

 

When the silence became too much, Carisi scoffed once again, and left the office, closing the door harder than necessary.

 

The sound of him slamming the door rang in Rafael's ears for hours after he left, fuelling the pounding of his heart.

 

**+++**

  


Sonny hadn't planned on showing up at Forlini's. His logic was, he had already made so much headway with Barba that he didn't feel the need to go on a blind date just to appease Carmen. And then Barba had decided to be an absolute dick to him, and in a fit of spite, he had shown up to meet this mystery man.

 

Seven-thirty had arrived however, and the man still hadn't shown. Sonny glanced to the two fingers of scotch that he had ordered for him, the glass now dripping with condensation. He then glanced to his tie, a scarlet red that he had only worn because Carmen requested it.

 

He was being stood up. He knew it. So with one swift movement, he yanked his tie off and shoved it into his pocket, before ordering another beer off the bartender. If he was going to deal with the shame of being stood up, he was going to need a lot more alcohol.

 

“Carisi?”

 

He whipped his head around at the sound of Barba's voice. Barba who was pulling a scarf from around his neck, looking adorably confused.

 

“Counselor. What are you doing here?”

 

Barba opened his mouth as if he were about to say something, but seemed to change his mind.

 

“I frequent here quite often. Mind if I sit?”

 

Sonny gestured for him to take the place next to him, the one that was going to be for his blind date.

 

Barba pulled himself onto the barstool, his eyes narrowing at the glass in front of him.

 

“Rollins running late?”

 

Sonny felt his eyebrows furrow as the bartender passed him his beer. “What do you mean?”

 

Barba gestured to the glass. “I didn't realise she was a scotch-drinker.”

 

“She's not,” Sonny replied, his confusion growing more and more with each passing second. “Why are you assuming it was for her?”

 

At that, Barba scoffed, almost bitterly. “Perhaps you haven't disclosed yet, but you two aren't as subtle as you might think.”

 

And then it hit Sonny, and in the face of what Barba was implying, he started laughing.

 

“Oh my god, Barba, no,” he wheezed out. “No, _god_ no, we are not together. For starters, I'm gay. And secondly…” he trailed off, only just stopping himself from revealing his crush on the prosecutor.

 

“Secondly?” Of course Barba wouldn't let that slide.

 

“Secondly, I've got my eyes on someone else.” That was a good response, Sonny felt. Smooth, casual, not giving anything away.

 

“Someone who drinks scotch?”

 

Sonny shook his head, eyeing the glass which was a constant reminder that he had been stood up by a stranger.

 

“Nah, that was for someone else. Someone who apparently couldn't be bothered to show up for a blind date. But you know, feel free to have it, wouldn't want to see my money go to waste.”

 

In his embarrassment, he had kept his head down, his eyes boring into the beer bottle in his hands.

 

Barba was silent.

 

Unnervingly silent.

 

Sonny lifted his eyes, expecting to at least meet Barba's, but the older man wasn't looking at him. His eyes were burning a hole into Sonny's leg, his pocket, where the tie was half hanging out.

 

“Is that your tie?”

 

“Uh, yes. Why--”

 

“Sorry I was late.”

 

Finally Barba’s eyes met his own. And they were shining, so beautifully, so filled with hope, that if Sonny wasn't so confused he would have probably appreciated it a lot more.

 

“Late? What do you--”

 

“Seven p.m. Forlini's. There will be a beautiful man waiting, with a glass of scotch ready for me.” As he spoke, a sweet smile graced Barba's lips. He quickly pulled his phone out, reading from a message. “'I have it on good authority he will be wearing a red tie.’ That was from Rita.”

 

His heart was racing, pounding. It couldn't be.

 

Then again…

 

Carmen has set this up. Rita had _winked_ at Carmen. Had they both been in on this? Had they both been intent on bringing Sonny and Barba together?

 

Barba seemed so hopeful, so excited, a perfect reflection of how Sonny felt.

 

“Well, Barba…I believe that scotch is for you then.”

 

“Rafael,” he hummed, sipping from the glass meant for him. “Call me, Rafael.”

 

“As long as you call me Sonny.”

 

Barba -- _Rafael_ \-- smirked in a way that made his knees weak.

  
“Of course… _Sonny._ ”


End file.
